2 Arrested in Case of Wheelchair-Bound Man Killed in Hit-&-Run

The horrific Valley hit-and-run collision that took the life of a 40-year-old man in a wheelchair is a whodunnit no longer.

Los Angeles Police Department detectives today announced that 24-year-old Tatiana Cacho of Pacoima has been arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run in connection with the crime that took place in her community on Sept. 26.

Christian Olvera, a 23-year-old from North Hollywood, was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to the crime "after the fact," the LAPD said.

Det. William Bustos of the Valley Traffic Division told us Olvera allegedly helped to hide both the vehicle involved in the collision and Cacho, the suspected driver.

"He hid evidence and helped the person who committed the crime hide," he said. "The car was the evidence."

Cops say both suspects were arrested yesterday about 5:30 p.m. at Van Nuys Boulevard and Sutter Street only blocks from the crime scene. Bustos said the pair were nabbed in a traffic stop.

According to an LAPD statement:

The media coverage was viewed by anonymous witnesses who reported the leads culminating in the following arrests.

... The 2005 Cadillac SRX involved in the hit and run, was located and has been impounded as evidence.

Bustos said the tips made all the difference in the world. "By coming forward, this community is speaking loudly that it's not going to tolerate this," he said.

The hit-and-run took place about 8 p.m. on Sept. 26 when a maroon Cadillac SUV headed east hi a man crossing Terra Bella Street in a wheelchair, the department stated:

The suspect dragged the victim for approximately 100 feet and drove away without stopping to rendering aid or exchanging information.

It's actually worse than that, Det. Bustos told us.

"It was a very, very horrific accident," he said. "He was dragged about 100, 150 feet and came to rest, coincidentally, in front of his driveway. The family came out and they were shocked."

The victim, 40-year-old Manuel Dejesus Segovia Gonzales, was taken to a hospital, where he died, according to the LAPD.

L.A. County Jail inmate data shows that Cacho had also been arrested on June 6 for undisclosed allegations. Her bail at that time was set at $10,000, and she was released four days later, according to the county.

Her bail this time was $50,000 and, according to the data, she remained behind bars today.

Olvera had two other recent arrests, in May and and in July, listed by the county. His bail was $25,000 and he too remained behind bars, according to inmate data.

Dennis Romero has worked on staff at several magazines and newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Los Angeles Times, where he participated in Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the L.A. riots. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone online, the Guardian, and, as a
young stringer, the New York Times.